White House blasts Israeli shelling in Gaza

A 72 hour unconditional ceasefire will come into force in Gaza in the next few hours. While it holds, negotiators for Israel and Hamas will head to Egypt for peace talks. It comes after Obama administration's most explicit criticism of its ally since the war began. The White House has labelled the Israeli shelling of a UN school in Gaza "totally unacceptable". The comments came as the UN Security Council received a dire briefing on the humanitarian toll in Gaza.

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CHRIS UHLMANN: A 72 hour unconditional ceasefire will come into force in Gaza in the next few hours.

It has been agreed by all sides and was announced in a joint statement by the UN (United Nations) and the US secretary of state.

While it holds negotiators for Israel and Hamas will head to Egypt for peace talks.

It comes after the White House declared Israel's shelling of a United Nations school in the Gaza strip "totally unacceptable".

In the Obama administration's most explicit criticism of its ally since the war began, it says Israel must do more to protect innocent Palestinian civilians.

North America correspondent Jane Cowan reports.

JANE COWAN: After 24 days of conflict, the deaths of an estimated 1,300 Palestinians and seven United Nations staff, the UN's under-secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief, Valerie Amos says there's no justification for failing to protect civilians and relief workers.*

VALERIE AMOS: Over 103 UN facilities have come under attack. The parties to the conflict have an obligation, an absolute obligation, to protect civilians from direct or indiscriminate attacks. Even war has rules.

JANE COWAN: The Obama administration is upping the public pressure on its ally. The Pentagon called on Israel to do more to protect civilians during its military operations.

The White House spokesman Josh Earnest uttered the strongest condemnation yet of Israel.

JOSH EARNEST: The shelling of a UN facility that is housing innocent civilians who are fleeing violence is totally unacceptable and totally indefensible.

JANE COWAN: But rdixon as the sides traded versions of the truth at the United Nations in New York, the Israeli and Palestinian positions appeared as deadlocked as ever.

JANE COWAN: The Palestinian representative Dr Riyad Mansour says what's going on is the extermination of an entire population.

RIYAD MANSOUR: When you put 1.8 million Palestinian civilians in this huge prison, denying them food because they cannot fish in the sea, denying them electricity, denying them safe places, denying them adequate, you know, medical facilities, denying them clear water, what are you doing? Isn't that genocide?

And for us, if we want really to build a culture of peace, we have to stop this carnage.

JANE COWAN: And there has been a breakthrough. A spokesman for the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, Sthane Dujarric announcing an unconditional humanitarian truce has been agreed by all sides.

STHANE DUJARRIC: It will last for a period of 72 hours unless extended. During this time, the forces on the ground will remain in place. Israeli and Palestinian delegations will immediately be going to Cairo for negotiations with the government of Egypt at the invitation of Egypt.